Mitamins Team asked:


Recent estimates have indicated that one in three adults in the USA has high blood pressure and that a third of these people are unaware of their condition. Your blood pressure is quite simply the force of the blood on the artery walls when the heart beats (systolic pressure) and when it rests between beats (diastolic pressure). The normal values are less 120 mm Hg systolic and less 80 mm Hg diastolic. If your blood pressure is 140-159 mm Hg Systolic over 90-99 mm Hg Diastolic then this is classified as High blood pressure or Hypertension.

There are many causes of high blood pressure; in 90-95% of cases the actual cause cannot be discerned. Nerve impulses cause your arteries to dilate (become larger) or contract (become smaller). If these vessels are wide open, blood can flow through easily. If they’re narrow, it’s harder for the blood to flow through them, and the pressure inside them increases. High blood pressure may occur at this point. The remaining cases high blood pressure may be caused by kidney abnormalities, an abnormality of the aorta, the narrowing of certain arteries.

Blood volume also affects blood pressure – the more blood in the body, the higher the amount of blood returning to the heart and the resulting cardiac output and higher the blood pressure. Arteries thickened by fatty tissue increase the resistance of the blood as it flows and this increased the resistance will contribute to higher the blood pressure. Other factors could also affect blood pressure like blood viscosity or stickiness. This is called your triglyceride levels. A raised triglyceride can be caused by a high alcohol or carbohydrate diet, being over weight or having poorly controlled blood sugars.

Keeping fit through a balanced diet and exercise is an important way to decrease high blood pressure. There is a direct link between rising blood pressure or hypertension and being overweight. Exercise improves the condition of the thickened arteries which helps in the treatment of high blood pressure by making the heart stronger. A stronger heart pumps more blood efficiently, which means that the heart doesn’t have to work as hard. However anyone with high blood pressure should consult a doctor before any exercise plan.

Research has also shown some evidence that exercise reduces the release of nor epinephrine, which is a hormone that raises blood pressure by constricting arteries and increasing the heart rate.

Aiming for and maintaining an ideal body weight is really important in the treatment of high blood pressure. If you are overweight or obese, ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian who can help you make permanent, achievable changes to the way you eat to assist with weight loss.

Cutting down on your alcohol intake, is very important – as this has a significant role in boosting blood pressure. Women should limit their intake to one drink per day and men two. Smoking injures blood vessel walls and accelerates the hardening of the arteries. Although it does not directly cause even though it does not cause high blood pressure, smoking is bad for anyone, especially those with high blood pressure

Dietary changes can really contribute to the treatment of high blood pressure. In studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan has been shown to be effective. Essentially this plan involves consuming increased amounts of fruit and vegetables and choosing low-fat or non-fat dairy products. Studies have shown that eating fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy food and proteins as well as foods with lower saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, lower blood pressure and promote overall fitness. Whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts with lower fat content are good choices for the heart. Details of the DASH diet can be found at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov

Foods with large amounts of saturated and trans fats such a fatty cuts of meat, fast food, fries, cakes and cookies should be kept to a minimum. This will also help with limiting the amount of sodium or salt in the diet. You should also try to avoid adding salt in your cooking and at the table, to limit gravy powders, salty soups and seasoning as well as salted crisps and nuts.

So why not have a go at these small changes – they really can make a difference in the treatment of high blood pressure!



Cynthia

Richard Legg asked:


If you are looking for ways of how to lower high blood pressure perhaps we should first talk about what causes high blood pressure in the first place. Well the truth is that there are many different causes ranging from, poor diet, lack of exercise, stress and hypertension. High blood pressure that is left untreated can lead to other more serious conditions, including stroke and heart attack. Having some knowledge of what causes high blood pressure will help you to avoid the risks.

By altering your diet and taking a pro-active approach to healthy eating, you can easily help to lower your blood pressure. One of the major causes of high blood pressure is cholesterol. People with high levels of cholesterol are almost certain to have higher blood pressure when compared to someone with a healthy diet. Cholesterol causes fatty deposits to coat the artery walls. Over time these fats form into a hard plaque that reduces the size of arteries and blood vessels making them smaller and smaller. There is still the same amount of blood trying to force it’s way through these vessels and this is what can lead to high blood pressure.

Another great way of how to lower high blood pressure is to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet. We all like our sweets and desserts but here again simply by lowering your sugar intake can really help reduce high blood pressure. Your blood can thicken from too much glucose as a result of consuming high amounts of sugary foods. If your blood is thicker than it normally should be it is again harder to circulate and so causes high blood pressure.

By avoiding eating foods which can cause high blood pressure then you are taking steps to help reduce it naturally. These include nicotine which is in cigarettes and other tobacco products. Excessive alcohol consumption has also been proved to increase the risk, so by lowering your alcohol intake it will also help reduce high blood pressure, as will cutting down on the amount of caffeine in your diet.

It has to be said that exercise is possibly one of the best solutions, not just for blood pressure, but for overall health in general. However, be sure to always consult a medical professional before undertaking any new workouts. Weight lifting is something that should be avoided because this can be very stressful on the heart. Highly intensive cardiovascular workouts are also not good for people with high blood pressure as this type of workout greatly raises your blood pressure.

One of the best ways is through some gentle exercising. And consistent exercise will help you to lower cholesterol levels, lose weight and therefore ultimately affect blood pressure. Exercises such as pilates and yoga are all effective at lowering blood pressure naturally as well as being extremely beneficial to the health of your heart. Whenever exercising, take care to warm up and cool down before and after. This will prevent any dangerous spikes in pressure that could rapidly occur.

By using these simple tips on diet and exercise you will be well on your way to achieving a more normal range blood pressure level and also help reduce high blood pressure in the future.



Kristen

Peter rodrick asked:


High blood pressure is a serious condition that affects one in four adults. High blood pressure is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body. It is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. It makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body and causes the hardening of the arteries. Normal blood pressure is less than 130/85. High blood pressure is higher than 140/90. Hypertension is between 120/80 and 140/90.

Causes of High Blood Pressure

Studies show many different kinds of secondary high blood pressure where the primary causes may be quite different from the continuing causes. An example is a rare disease known as coarctation of the aorta, a disease of the large artery carrying blood out of the heart. In this condition, the aorta is tightly constricted a few inches beyond its origin and then expands to its normal diameter. Undoubtedly, blood pressure must rise above the constriction and fall below it, just as it does when one compresses a hosepipe. Yet, if this constriction is removed surgically and the normal continuity of the aorta is restored, blood pressure usually takes several years to fall to normal level. The initial case of high blood pressure is the constriction, but the continuing cause is probably complex changes in circulating hormones, which function to maintain blood flow through the kidneys despite the obstruction, which may persist for a long time even after the obstruction, has gone.

Pressure in a hose can be regulated either by controlling the rate at which fluid passes through it or by widening it. Pressure inside your arteries can cause the muscles that line the walls of the arteries to thicken. Your blood pressure is at its highest when the heart beats, pumping the blood. When the heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. Still, for most of your waking hours, your blood pressure stays pretty much the same when you are sitting or standing still.

The last cause is one in which you have absolutely no control over. It is genetics. On its own, genetics doesn’t cause high blood pressure, but it feeds all the other causes. Think of it as fertilizer so to speak. If you have a family history of high blood pressure, then your very prone to getting it yourself. With the right genes you can have a high fat and sodium diet, never exercise, drink tons of coffee and stress out on a daily basis, yet still have a reasonably low blood pressure. With the wrong genes, even a little too much salt may be enough to kick your blood pressure into a dangerous range.

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure has no symptoms. But if you feel a dull ache in the back of your head when you wake up one morning, or you have few more nosebleeds than normal, you could have a high blood pressure. Headaches, nosebleeds, and dizziness are also common warning signs and symptoms of high blood pressure, but these do not occur until high blood pressure has reached a more advanced stage. However, many people even with the highest blood pressure readings do not feel any of these symptoms.

Palpitations, tension headaches and hyperventilation are symptoms of anxiety and so are common in people who are anxious or frightened. If they already have these symptoms and are then unfortunately found to have high blood pressure, then the diagnosis may confirm their fears and reinforce the symptoms. Others may get palpitations for the first time after they have been told that they have high blood pressure. They are not caused by high blood pressure itself, but by fear of it and what the diagnosis means. The symptoms usually disappear, although not always immediately, with adequate explanation of what a diagnosis of high blood pressure really means.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is considered a modern day disease that can lead to heart disease and stroke. As soon as symptoms are apparent, the proper treatment should be sought immediately. Hypertension, if left untreated, can cause the heart to enlarge due to the increased force necessary to pump blood against the greater resistance in your vessels. It is often called “the silent killer”. It affects nearly 50 million Americans

High Blood Pressure Treatment

Complimentary Therapies – Right medication will curb the level of blood pressure. Living a life with the right practice and involvement will help you to get better relief. It is advisable to join any meditation group or even you can buy books that teach you meditation. In spite of increasing the level of blood pressure, meditation will put an end to the trouble. Moreover, meditation will make your mind to achieve balance pose and position.

Acupuncture combined with electric stimulation or electro-acupuncture can lower elevations of blood pressure in human beings. When the research was conducted for the first time, acupuncture needles were inserted on the inside of the forearm just above the wrist, but to no avail. Researchers then started adding electric stimulation to the needles, which means that electric would start flowing from the needles to the body.



Glen